Collapsible bookrest



Dec. 6, 1949 R. s. HUMMEL COLLAPSIBLE BOOKREST 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1945 l obertsiuarffiummel awe mu;

32 4 @ZhT Dec. 6, 1949 R. s. HUMMEL COLLAPSIBLE BOOKREST 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 14, 1945 iBcJberzSlbari/fumwzal Dec. 6, 1949 R. s. HUMMEL COLLAPSIBLE BOOKREST 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 14, 1945 Patented Dec. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT orncs COLLAPSIBLE noomms'r Robert Stuart Hummel, Washington, D. 0.

Application March 14,1945. Serial No. 582,681

27 Claims.

The present invention relates to collapsible bookrests and more particularly to a novel structure having some of the general characteristics of an easel which may be set up to support a book in convenient position to be read and which may be folded flatwise into a space of such small area that the entire device can be carried in a loose leaf notebook of standard moderate size.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a bookrest which the student or researcher may conveniently carry to the library in a loose leaf or other conventional type of notebook and which may there be readily set up for holding at a convenient angle a reference book which is to be read or from which material is to be copied. To this end an important feature of the invention consists in making the bookrest of comparatively small panels which fold against each other in such a way that the folded area of the structure is no greater than that of the largest panel. A related feature consists in so arranging the several panels that complete folding is possible, i. e., so that all of the parts which are three-dimensional in the set-up condition are reduced to virtually two-dimensional layers of material in the knocked-down or collapsed condition, with a minimum number of layers in mutually superposed relation, so that the maximum thickness of the folded structure is kept at a minimum.

Another important object is concerned with providing a structure in which change between collapsed and set-up condition is effected with extreme easeand rapidity and with no wear or strain on any of the material or on any of the connections between the parts.

Another object is generally to improve certain details of prior art structures of this general class will be disclosed in detail hereinafter: making certain of the panels foldable into a space between certain other panels, so that the enclosed panels will be well protected and therefore longlived even though made of thin material; connecting all the panels to each other at or close to their edges so that in general free edges are avoided; employing improved and highly durable" types of hinge connections where one part is arranged for swinging on another part; so conknocked down or set up by simple folding and unfolding operations, requiring no parts to be fastened or disconnected; using limp or flexible material for those parts which take stress soleLv in tension and confining the use of rigid material to those parts which act in compression under the weight of a supported book; making optional the use of features by which the angle at which the book is supported can be adjusted and the use of other features by which the leaves of the book may be held down if desired; and other details which will sufliciently appear from the present disclosure.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages contemplated and intended, the invention comprises the essential features of construction pointed out in the appended claims. For the purpose of illustrating the-invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings and shall describe in the present specification certain embodiments which are now preferred by me because they have been fully tested and found in actual practice to give satisfactory and reliable. results. In this connection it is to be understood that the several parts and elements comprising these embodiments may be variously arranged and organized, within the scope of the claims, and that the spirit of the invention is not limited to the precise details of the illustrated embodiments.

In the drawin Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention in set-up position;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. l; v

Fig. 3 is an edge elevational view of thesame structure shown in collapsed or folded condition;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the shelf structure of the same device:

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the device folded and contained in a conventional type of loose leaf ring binder;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end elevational view showing a modified form of hinge connection;

Fig. 7 is an end elevational view of the shelf structure of the device, illustrating the folding operation;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the invention, shown set up, with its page holders in retracted position; a

Fig. 9 is a similar view with the page holders in projected position; necting the parts that the structure may be as Fig. 10 is an end elevational view of the embodiment of Figs. 8 and 9, with the page holders in retracted position;

Fig. 11 is an edge elevational view of the same structure in collapsed or folded condition;

Fig. 12 is an end elevational view of the shelf structure of the same device, showing the manner in which the page holders are adjusted to accommodate books of different thicknesses;

Fig. 13 is an end elevational view of a form of back structure having an angularly adjustable panel which may be used with any of the shelf structures contemplated by the invention;

Figs. 14 and 15 are perspective views of two modified forms of shelf structure which may be used with any of the back structures contemplated by the invention;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view corresponding to Figs. 1 and 8 but showing a still further modified embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 17 is an end elevational view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a top plan view, taken along the line l3l8 of Fig. 17, of the shelf structure;

Fig. 19 is an edge elevational view of the same embodiment shown folded or collapsed;

Fig. 20 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 20-20 of Fig. 16, showing one of the hooks of the folding shelf structure;

Fig. 21 is a perspective view corresponding to Figs. 1, 8 and 16 but showing a modification in which the back structure is made an integral part of a loose leaf binder cover;

Fig. 22 is an end elevational view of a form of angularly adjustable back structure which may be used with any of the shelf structures; and

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a detail of the adjusting means used in the Fig. 22 embodiment.

It will be observed from the drawings that all complete embodiments of the invention include essentially a back structure and a shelf structure adapted respectively to support the back and the bottom of an open book, as indicated in broken lines in Figs. 16 and 18. The two structures are made basically of panel elements which are hinged together for folding, and the two structures are hinged together for folding on each other.

In the form of embodiment shown in Figs. 1-7 the back structure 30 includes a down-and-forwardly sloping panel 3| to the rear face of which is hinged at 32, slightly below the adjacent edge of the panel 3|, a down-and-rearwardly sloping prop 33 in the form of a panel best made of the same sort of material as the panel 3|, 1. e., of any suitably thin and stiff sheet stock, such as cardboard or pressboard. The bottom edges of the panels 3| and 33 are connected by a tie sheet 33 the opposite front and rear edges of which are hinged to the panels which it connects. This tie sheet may be made of the same material as the two panels, but since it is stressed solely in tension in operation of the device, I prefer to form it of limp, flexible material, such as stout, sized textile fabric. Whether made of this material or of board, the sheet is jointed intermediately along the line 35, so that its parts on opposite sides of this line may be folded in parallelism up into the space between the panels 3| and 33 when these panels are folded together by hinglng action at 32.

The shelf structure is designated generally 33 and is made much like the back structure. It includes a fioor panel 31 which slopes forwardly up from a hinge 38 by which it is connected to the lower front edge of the panel 3|. This door panel has its front edge supported by a prop panel 33 hinged to and sloping rearwardly up to and preferably somewhat beyond it. The bottom edge of the prop panel 39 is hinged to the forward edge of a tie sheet 40 the rear edge of which is directly connected to the hinge 38.

Fig. 7 illustrates how the shelf structure which has just been described is changed from its set-up position shown in Fig. l to its collapsed condition shown in Fig. 3. It will be observed that the parts fold in the same manner as do the parts of the back structure, the panels 39 and 31 swinging against each other and against the panel 3|, with the tie sheet 40 divided by the hinge or joint line 49 and folded up in between the panels 33 and 31.

Each of the hinges 32 and 38 is preferably made as shown in the figures, i. e., by connecting a separate strip of panel material to the edge of the panel 33 or 31 by means of thin tape or the like and cementing, stapling and/or stitching the taped strip to the adjacent panel 3|. An alternative form of hinge is shown at II in Fig. 6, in which tapes are cemented to the two hinged panels in bridging relation to the hinge line. Other specific forms of hinge will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, as will other types of fastening.

In use, the structure is set up as shown in Fig. 1 and the bottom of an open book is laid on the floor panel 31 with the back of the book bearing against the panel 3|. The upper portion of the shelf structure prop panel 39, by which that panel extends above the plane of the floor 31, functions to restrain the leaves of the book from undesired movement. I find it convenient to provide a recess 42 in the middle of this projecting edge so that it is possible to extend a group of pages of the book through this recess and thus mark" a page in the book in addition to that at which it is opened.

It will be observed that with the book thus supported the sheets or panels 34 and 40 react in tension. For this reason they may be made of thin, flexible material, as has .been explained. When folded into the positions shown in Fig. 3, the parts 34 and 40 occupy very little room and are well protected by the heavier material of the panels 3i, 33, 31 and 39.

If, as is preferred, the upper edge of the panel 3! be caused to extend above the hinge 32, to provide a marginal area 43, the device can easily be mounted in any conventional type of loose leaf binder. Fig. 5 shows such a mounting. In this case the binder 44 is of the ring type and consequently the margin 43 is perforated at 45 for reception of the rings 46.

It will be observed that the user may keep the folded device in the binder 44, where it will occupy no more space than a few dozen sheets of notebook paper 41, and from which it may be removed and set up to support a reference work or the like which the user wishes to consult and from which perhaps to make notes on the sheets 41.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 8-12 inclusive includes a modified type of shelf structure, designated generally 50. This form of shelf structure includes a fioor panel 5| which is hinged at 52 to a back structure generally designated 53 and which differs from the floor panel 31 of Fig. 1 principally by having its front edge 54 free and unhinged to the prop panel 55. This pro panel has its lower edge hinged to the front edge of a tie panel 56, the rear edge of which is connected to the hinge 52, in substantially the same way as the tie sheet 40. I prefer to make the tie panel 56 from stiff material rather than the limp stock from which the tie sheet 40 can be made.

As wlll be evident from Fig. 8, when the device is set up the floor panel is supported on the top edge of the prop 55. To hold the prop in this supporting position I provide it with tab means 51, preferably two in number, and preferably each consisting of an eccentrically pivoted segment or other shape which can be swung about its pivot to either of the two positions shown in Figs. 8 and 9, in both of which positions it will penetrate a slot 58 provided in the floor panel 5|.

The tabs 51 are proportioned and mounted so that in one position they will project very slightly through the slots 58, as shown in Fig. 8', and so that when rotated 180 from this position they will project a substantial distance through the slots, as shown in Fig. 9. In the latter position they serve as page holders, like the extended upper margin of the prop 39 in Fig. 1, while in the Fig. 8 position they present no obstruction to the pages of the book. It is convenient to provide a plurality of alined pairs of slots 58 as shown in Fig. 12 so that the depth between the tabs and the back bearing panel 3| of the back structure can be varied to suit books of different thicknesses.

This form of structure is readily collapsed to the condition shown in Fig. 11 by folding the tie panel 34 in between the panel 3| and prop '33, and by swinging the floor 5| up against the panel 3| and by straightening out the prop 55 and tie panel 56 so that these two elements lie in the same plane, against the panel 3|, all as shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. 14 illustrates a modified type of adjustable tab 60, which is movable up and down on the prop 55 by sliding movement effected by engagement of a cleat or headed rivet 6| over the margins of a slot 62 formed lengthwise in the tab.

Fig. illustrates a still further modified construction, in which a tab I0 is made integral with the prop panel I Of course, in both the structures shown in Figs. 14 and 15, a plurality of tab-receivingslots 58 may be provided, and the structures may otherwise be made the same as that of Fig. 8.

Fig. 13 depicts a slight modification in the back structure by which the tie sheet is divided by a hinge line 80 into an inner main portion 8| and an outer marginal portion 82. To support the book back at a high angle these two parts are folded on each other, with the prop 83 swung forward, while to support the book back at a lower angle, the parts 8| and 82 are alined in the same horizontal plane, with the prop 83 swung back. The two adjusted positions are shown respectively in full and broken lines in Fig. 13.

Fig. 16 shows a still further modified embodiment in which the shelf structure 89 folds against the back panel 3| by sliding movement of the rear edge of the floor panel 9| up and down the back. This is effected by providing the floor panel 9| with a strip 92 hinged to its rear edge and by equipping the outer margins of this strip with hooks 93 which extend around and embrace the marginal edges of the back panel 3|. The prop 90 is hinged at its top and bottom edges to the floor panel 9| and to the tie panel 94, and the latter is hinged at 95 to the back structure. It will be obvious that when the hooks are slid up the side margins of the back panel 3| from their position shown in Fig. 16, the panels 90, 9| and 94 will all be alined in the same plane flat against the back panel 3 I, as shown in Fig. 19.

If desired or thought necessary, an operating element such as the tab 98 or other type of handle may be provided on the strip 02 for convenience in moving the strip up and down to collapse and expand the shelf structure.

This form of construction may optionally be provided with page holders 96 formed integrally with the prop panel 90, being struck out of openings 9'! in the floor panel 9|.

Fig. 21 shows a modification in which the back structure comprises a notebook cover, or the cover of a loose leaf binder. One of the pair of cover boards functions as a back-supporting panel I00 and the other acts as a prop |0|. A shelf structure |02 is hinged at N13 to the lower front edge of the panel I00, and tie means in the form of a tape or cord I04 connects the panels I00 and |0| when the structure is set up as shown in the figure. The tie I04 may be permanently connected to one of the two panels and separably connected, as by a snap fastener or the like, to the other panel. The shelf structure I02 may be made in any of the forms disclosed in this specification.

Figs. 22 and 23 show a modified type of back structure for adjusting the angle at which the book will be supported. In this construction the prop H0 is provided, in its lower portion, with a plurality of hinge joints forming, between the joints, separate leaves 2 which may be alternatively alined with the tie sheet 3 and form part thereof, or with the prop panel I I0 and form part thereof. When these leaves are, in effect, in the prop panel they are stiffened against collapse by a slide H4, which consists of a strip of stiil metal, plastic or the like which is slotted lengthwise and can be moved up and down to adjusted positions on studs 5 so as to bridge any selected number of the leaves I l 2 and stiffen any selected number of the joints The lower end of the slot is open and the upper end is closed. It will be evident from a comparison of Figs. 22 and 23 that the slide may be elevated on the prop 0 so as to release all or any number of the leaves 2 for positioning in the tie member H3, or it may be pushed down so as to hold all or any number of these leaves in the prop H0.

, This form of back structure, like all the others hereinabove disclosed, may be used with any of the shelf structures.

It is thought to be evident that the structures herein illustrated and described, in the numerous variations and further modifications permitted by the scope of the claims, accomplish all the do objects and attain all the advantages enumerated in the introduction to this specification.

I claim:

1. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged at its rear edge to the front edge of the back structure and foldable into substantial parallelism against the back structure when the shelf structure is collapsed, said shelf structure including three members all of which are separated from the back structure by said hinged connection, said three members of the shelf structure comprising a floor member sloping forwardly up from said hinged connection, a prop extending up toward the forward edge of the floor member and supporting it in inclined position, and tie ands means connecting the prop and said hinged connection, a portion of said prop extending above the top of the floor member to hold the leaves of a book against undesired movement.

2. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged to the back structure and foldable into substantial parallelism against the back structure when the shelf structure is collapsed, and including three members all of which are separated from the back structure by said hinged connectionssaid three members of the shelf structure comprising a floor member sloping forwardly up from said hinged connection for bearing the bottom of a book, a prop for supporting the floor member in inclined position, and tie means connecting the prop and said hinged connection.

3. In a collapsible bookrest, the shelf structure as claimed in claim 2, in which the shelf structure is provided with a portion which projects above the level of the floor member for holding the pages of a book against undesired movement.

4. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a shelf structure hinged to the back structure and including three members all of which are separated from the back structure by said hinged connection, said three members of the shelf structure comprising a floor member sloping forwardly up from said hinged connection, a prop extending up toward the forward edge of the floor member and supporting it in inclined position, and tie means connecting the prop and said hinged connection, a portion of said prop extending up above the plane of the floor-member to provide a front guard to hold the leaves of a book from undesired movement and being provided with upwardly projecting laterally spaced portions for receiving and segregating a selected group of leaves of the book.

5. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure including a hinged pair of panels foldable into substantial parallelism against each other and openable to a position in which one panel supports the other in inclined position to serve as a bearing for the back of an open book, in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged to the back structure and foldable into substantial parallelism against the back structure when the shelf structure is collapsed, said shelf structure including three members all of which are separated from the back structure by said last named hinged connection, said three members of the shelf structure comprising a floor member sloping forwardly up from said last named hinged connection for bearing the bottom of said book, a prop for supporting'the floor member in inclined position, and tie means connecting the prop and said last named hinged connection.

6. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure including a down and-forwardly sloping panel, a down-and-rearwardly sloping prop hinged to the panel, and tie means connected at its opposite edges to the panel and prop and collapsible between its edges so as to be folded in between the panel and prop when the back structure is collapsed, in combination with a shelf structure hinged at its rear edge to the front edge of the back structure and including three members all of which are separated from the back structure by said hinged connection, said three members of the shelf structure comprising a floor panel sloping forwardly up from said last named hinged connection, a floor panel prop extending up toward the forward edge of the floor panel and supportin it a inclined position, and a shelf structure 8 tie sheet connecting the bottom edge of the floor panel prop and the last named hinged connection, a portion of the floor panel prop extending above the top of the floor panel to hold the leaves of a book against undesired movement.

7. In a'collapslble bookrest, a. back structure. in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged to the bottom edge portion of the back structure, said shelf structure comprising a floor panel sloping forwardly up from said hinged connection, a prop extending up toward the forward edge of the floor panel and supporting it in inclined position, and tie means connecting the prop and said hinged connection, said tie means being foldable between its edges and receivable between the floor panel and prop when the shelf structure is collapsed.

8. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a shelf structure hinged to the bottom edge portion of the back structure, said shelf structure comprising a floor panel sloping forwardly up from said hinged connection and having an opening in its front margin, a prop extending up toward the front margin of the floor panel and having a portion insertible through said opening, and a tie panel connecting the bottom edge of the prop and said hinged connection.

9. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a shelf structure hinged to the bottom edge portion of the back structure, said shelf structure comprising a floor panel sloping forwardly up from said hinged connection and having a plurality of alined openings formed at spaced intervals rearwardly of its front margin, a prop extending up toward the front margin of the floor panel and having a portion insertible through any selected opening, and a tie panel connecting the bottom edge of the prop and said hinged connection.

10. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a shelf structure hinged to the bottom edge portion of the back structure, said shelf structure comprising a floor panel sloping forwardly up from said hinged connection and having a plurality of parallel slots formed at spaced intervals rearwardly of its front margin, a prop extending up toward the front margin of the floor panel and having a tab pivoted eccentrically thereon so that a smaller or larger portion of the tab may be inserted through any selected slot, and a tie panel connecting the bottom edge of the prop and said hinged connection.

11. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a shelf structure hinged to the bottom edge portion of the back structure, said shelf structure comprising a floor panel sloping forwardly up from said hinged connection and having a plurality of parallel slots formed at spaced intervals rearwardly of its front margin, a prop extending up toward the front margin of the floor panel and having a tab movable thereon so that a smaller or larger portion of the tab of tabs movable thereon so that a smaller or larger portion of each tab may be inserted through any selected pair of slots, and a tie panel connecting the bottom edge of the prop and said hinged connection.

' 13. In a collapsible bookrest, a backstructure including a normally down-and-forwardly sloping panel, in combination with a shelf structure including a bottom panel hinged to the front bottom edge portion of the back structure, a front prop panel hinged to the front edge of said bottom panel and normally extending up therefrom,

. and a floor panel hinged to the .upper edge of said pro panel and normally sloping down-andrearwardly therefrom, in combination with means carried by the rear edge of the floor panel and interfitting with said panel of the back structure for sliding movement thereon whereby the shelf structure may be folded against the back structure.

14. In a collapsible bookrest as claimed in claim 13, a shelf structure in which said interfltting means comprises a pair of hooks, one at each side of the floor panel and embracing the adjacent edge of the named panel of the back structure.

15. In a collapsible bookrest as claimed in claim 13, a shelf structure in which a strip is hinged to the rear edge of the floor panel and in which said interfitting means comprises a pair of books, one at each side of said strip and embracing the adjacent marginal edge of the named panel of the back structure.

16. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure including a sheet member, in combination with a shelf structure including a bottom panel hinged to the front bottom edge portion of the back structure, a front prop panel hinged to the front edge of said bottom panel and normally extending up therefrom, and a floor panel hinged to the upper edge of said prop panel and normally sloping down-and-rearwardly therefrom, in combination with means mounted adjacent to the rear edge of the floor panel and movable therewith interfltting with said sheet member of the back structure for sliding movement thereon whereby the shelf structure may be folded against the back structure.

17. In a collapsible bookrest as claimed in claim 16, a shelf structure .in which said interfltting means comprises a pair of hooks, one at each side of the floor panel and embracing the adjacent marginal edge of the sheet member of the back structure.

18. In a collapsible bookrest as claimed in claim 16, a shelf structure in which a strip is hinged to the rear edge of the floor panel and in which said interfitting means comprises a pair of hooks, one at each side of said strip and embracing the adjacent marginal edge of the sheet member of the back structure.

19. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged to the bottom edge portion of the back structure, said sheif structure comprising a floor panel sloping forwardly up from said hinged connection, a prop panel extending up toward the for ward edge of the floor panel and hinged thereto, and tie means connecting the prop panel and said first named hinged connection, said tie means being foldable between its edges when the shelf structure is collapsed.

20. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged to the forward edge of the back structure,

said shelf structure comprising a floor member hinged at its rear edge to said forward edge of the back structure, a prop for supporting the floor member in inclined position, and tie means hinged at its oppositeedges to the prop and said forward edge of the back structure and being foldable between-its edges when the shelf structure is collapsed, said shelf structure having a portion which projects above the level of the floor member to hold the leaves of the book from undesired movement.

21. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a shelf structure hinged to the bottom edge portion of the back structure, said shelf structure including a floor panel sloping forwardly up from said bottom edge portion of the back structure and movably connected thereto, a prop panel extending up to the forward edge of the floor panel and hinged thereto, and tie means hinged-at its opposite edges to the bottom edge of the prop panel and said bottom edge portion' of the back structure, portions of said prop panel being cut out from the forward edge of the floor panel and extending above the top of the floor panel for holding the leaves of a book against undesired movement.

22. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a shelf structure hinged to the bottom edge portion of the back structure, said shelf structure comprising a forwardly and upwardly inclined floor panel movably connected to said bottom edge portion of the back structure and having a plurality of parallel pairs of alined slots formed at spaced intervals rearwardly of its front margin, prop means extending up toward the front margin of the floor panel and including a pair of upwardly projecting tabs which are insertible through selected alined slots, and a tie panel connecting the bottom edge of said prop means and said bottom edge portion of the back structure.

23. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged to the back structure and comprising a plurality of members all of which are foldable into substantial parallelism a ainst the back structure when the shelf structure is collapsed, said plurality of members including a floor member movably connected at its rear edge to the back structure, a prop for supporting the floor member in inclined position, and tie means movably connected at its opposite edges to said prop and back structure.

24. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged to the back structure and including a plurality of members all of which are foldable against the back structure when the shelf structure is collapsed, said members of. the shelf structure comprising a floor member movably connected at its rear edge to the back structure, a prop for supporting the floor member in inclined position, and means for limiting the angular relationship of said floor and prop members.

- 25. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure, in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged to the back structure, said shelf structure comprising a floor member movably connected at its rear edge to the back structure, a prop member hinged to the forward edge of the floor member for supporting the floor member in inclined position. and tie means movably connected at its opposite edges to the prop member and back structure, said tie meansbeing foldable 2,4eo,soo

between its edges when the shelf structure is collapsed.

26. In a collapsible booirrest, a back structure, in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged to the back structure, said shelf structure comprising a floor member movably connected at its rear edge to the back structure, a prop member hinged to the forward edge of the floor member for supporting the floor member in inclined position, and means for limiting the angular relationship of said floor and prop members, said means being foldable between the floor and prop members when the shelf structure is collapsed.

27. In a collapsible bookrest, a back structure. in combination with a collapsible shelf structure hinged to the back structure, said shelf structure comprising a floor member movably connected at its rear edge to the back structure and having an opening in its front margin, a prop member having a portion insertible through said opening, and tie means movably connected at its opposite edges to the prop member and the back structure.

ROBERT STUART HUMMEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 12 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Morton Nov. 16, Nichols Jan. 8, Wedderburn Nov. 28, Conelly Feb. 26, Smith Dec. 81, Avis June 2, Pitt Feb. 20. Blum Feb. 8, Moore Dec. 8, Metzger Mar. 25. Myers July 18, Buenger et a1. May 1, Steen Aug. 27, Henderson Sept. 10, Pyle et al Mar. '24, Moore et a] Mar. 28, Hamilton July 11, Weinstein Dec. 10, Harris Dec. 24, Barrett Oct. 7, Mendelson Dec. 1, Tiryakian Apr. 10, 

